An Unchanging Reality (Take two)

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Oh, thank you but I think we got it here," she says to the man's offer. Then adds, "Although I could use the company. We just have to be quiet, Serph's a light sleeper."

[meemaas]

"I know how that is." He moves and sits next to Eophyn, lowering his voice some while he talks. "Was there anything in particular..." He cut his sentence off with a very strong yawn, and then shook his head as if trying to shake it off. "Sorry about that."

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"If you are tired you should get some sleep," she says.

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OOC: I'm ready to go on if nothing is going to happen.

[meemaas]

The man lays down himself, and the night passes uneventfully. The watch changes without any problems, and as morning comes, nothing has happened. Before the party wakes up, Jin and his wife take their leave, wishing you luck, and head off on their way.

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If there's anything you want to do before you move on, let me know, otherwise, i'll move you forward.

[meemaas]

The party moves on for the next four days, riding and camping in what appear to be regularly used safe spots off the road. Nothing of note happens to effect them, and they make it to the capitol in good time, with a few hours of daylight to spare. As they make it into the city, they find themselves beholden by what appears to be a medieval metropolis, the center of magical study itself. As they enter the city, the guard stops them, but a quick flash of the sheriffs seal and he calls over someone to bring you to their barracks. The captain makes you wait a few minutes, and then lets you in, greeting you warmly.

"Greetings, i am the captain of the guard here. I was told you bore a paper with the seal of one of the outer villages? What business do you have that brings you all the way out here?"

[Man on Fire]

Serph looks over Eophyn and Dromet, waiting for them to give the man the papers. As always, he preffer to remain silent, as if the speech he gave few days ago has extinguished his amount of words for this week.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

She hands over the paper and tilts her head before answering, "why this paper of course... oh why is this paper important?... well a small town was being attacked by bandits. We found proof that the bandits were sent and funded by Dendu Vigorn."

[meemaas]

The man looks at it without unsealing it in amazement. "I see now why you were sent to me. This needs to go straight to our queen." He pulled a small handaxe from beneath his desk and flung it through the open door, you could hear it collide with what appeared to be wood and not even a moment later a new face pops in.

The young female, in the same design of uniform as the captain started whining immediately. "Pleeeeeaassse stop doing that sir. You scared me to death."

The captain growled at her. "Arrange us a meeting with the queen immediately. Tell her its a matter of our kingdoms security, and that if she doesn't accept us i'll barge in anyways."

The young lady nods quickly and bolts, as if afraid that he'll throw another axe, and then the captain turns back to the party. "We should have a meeting with the queen within the hour. If what you say is really true, you will have done a great service to us." He slides the still bound paper back to Eophyn. "But for now, you hold onto this. It is your message to deliver."

[stanleyindraven]

Dromet looks startled when the axe goes flying, but relaxes as the woman's face appears through the doorway.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

Her eyes widen and her hands instinctively went her weapon. Another damn trap, she thinks. Her eyes keenly sets itself on the captain, but she holds her draw when she hears the woman's voice.

She takes the message back and says, "Thank you... Uh... could you explain to me why it is such a great service to find out this man was funding bandits?"

[meemaas]

"Its not so much that he was funding them, as who he is. Surely you know that he is the General for the army of the Gestorn empire. If he is doing something to disrupt our kingdom, then he's bound to be doing more. King Aaran declared war out of nowhere on the Reynald kingdom. What if they turn around and turn on us while we aren't prepared? There are so many possibilities that this opens up that it changes our entire world, if you will."

The man gets up while he talks, and starts going through some of his papers, mostly absentmindedly while he continues on.

[stanleyindraven]

Horbin gives a grave look to his companions. "I see, well, hopefully we can do something to help the kingdom prepare for such a problem, personally."

[Man on Fire]

"It seems troubles just cannot leave us alone." Serph mutters to himself, looking both pretty irritated and bored at the same time.

[meemaas]

Time passes quickly, and the captain brings the party through the underground hallways to the queens palace. The captain leads them into the throne room, and upon reaching the queen on her throne, bows before her. "Your highness, these travelers bring important news from near the edge. I thought it best that you read what they have personally." He gestures to Eophyn, who (assumably) gives her the paper. After reading it twice over, the queen speaks.

Clearing her throat, she's speak calmly and carefully. "I thank you three for delivering this to me. It proves what Nihilus has been telling me for some time now." She looks at the addition written with the note, and smiles a little. "I see it was also suggested that we pay you a gratuitous reward for the service you've performed. I think i can arrange for a good deal of gold for you, but i'd like to offer you something else." She looks to the captain, and hands off the papers to him carefully. "Before i continue, is there anything you would like to say to me? You are granted permission to speak freely."

[stanleyindraven]

OOC: So long as I am not wrong again or stepping out again.

"Your majesty, there are also highwaymen who have been hired to take supplies from anyone traveling between the kingdoms, also by Dendu Vigorn." Horbin's voice was clear but the respect he was trying to convey was clearly making him nervous.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

Upon entering she begins to bow, but catches herself and does a make shift curtsy. She was unused to the high society formalities, however, she did remember playing pretend when she was a little girl and how she tried to play princess. Growing up she was used to a more egalitarian feel being a gypsy this subtle stratification was something she had heard about and being here only made her feel a bit more uncomfortable.

When asked what to say she could only think to say, "Your welcome, your majesty," to her thank you. She didn't really expect the queen to say thank you.

"I have a question, why are the countries at war? What is there to gain from this?" she asks naively.

[Man on Fire]

"Em, your highness, could you give us a moment?" Serph asks and quickly wraps both of his friends under his arms and turns around. "I think we should tell the queen everything that happened to us. About kidnapping, being framed and all that. Everything" he whispers to them.

[stanleyindraven]

"Agreed," Dromet says shortly.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"You sure?" she whispered, it was so unlike Serph to resort to honesty so readily.

[Man on Fire]

"If we can get on Queen's good side, it will improve our situation, it's better than slowly trying to estabilish our good name. As long they'll belive us, we don't have anyting to worry about."

[meemaas]

Spoiler

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Waiting on you guys to state out what exactly you want to tell her. Presentation is everything

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Okay, Serph," she says to her friends and then turns to the queen.

"Your highness if you would be so kind to indulge us, my companions wish to tell you our tale of how we come before you."

She begins to open her hands and a shadow of an image forms. Slowly it forms into a set of vertical bars, "We were attack by a man with two swords, he took us captive and found ourselves behind bars. Our friend Serph was clever enough to pick the doors open. We found ourselves in a big house.There we found fliers stating that we were wanted for killing the King Leround Gestorn, which we were not at all responsible."

The image of the bars appear to open and the reform to the shape of the house they were set in. "With Dromet's strength and cunning we fought our way out. We ran and found a road. We followed until we came to a dark stranger."

The house now becomes the image of Findo Gask's black armor, "This man knew us but did not stop us. He called himself Findo Gask. His armor had these symbols on it." The symbols she recall decorate the image of Gask. "He let us pass and we made our way Lightroot. We found more of those fliers so we decided to find work as body guards to a rich merchant that was traveling to the Vesperian kingdom."

The silhouette of Gask tripples and changes to those of soldiers, "Along the way were we stopped by soldiers with orders by Dendu Vigorn to stop merchant traffic and confiscate it for the war effort. We were force to... dispatch the soldiers for the merchant and we parted ways at the shrine of Angara"

The soldiers are now the pleasant and peaceful shrine. "We stayed there for a short while until we found out that Gask was on his way to visit. We were able to force another meeting with him. He confessed that he knew of our innocence and insinuated that he had darker and more pressing matters to attend to than dealing with us."

"We left the shrine and headed for Bridgerook, but were accosted by two men. We were able to defeat them but a third ran to us with blood on his blades. He said those two were part of the bandits who have been plaguing the town and he was out for revenge. Once we got to Bridgerook we found a flier for the reward of the bandit. The next day we headed out to find the bandit camp. It was desolate, no one was left alive. We found paper indicating that it was Dendu what was funding the bandits and returned with the proof. And now we are here."

[stanleyindraven]

Dromet nods in agreement.

[meemaas]

Her eyes widen at the symbols as she watches the display, and once Eophyn finishes her story, she begins to speak. "That story is interesting. And surprisingly, not the first one i've heard. Your bounty originated from the Kingdom of Gestorn, and while i am honor bound to respect it by the treaties held in the Shrine, I am not bound to turn you in. There was a fourth who was listed for the crime you are accused for, and he spoke with me not even last week before going on his way. I do not know who was really responsible for the murder, but i do not believe you would have done it. While i cannot help you escape your bounties, only King Leround would have the power to annul your bounties, i can extend my protection to you within my kingdom. For i have a proposal for you, if you wish to accept it." She stood up from her throne and slowly and elegantly stepped down to stand face to face with Eophyn, the voice of the group, before she continued. "I must prepare for the new information i have been given and i believe i could use your help with the less military matters. What do you say?"

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Your Grace, the fact you believe us, is a tremendous relief. I believe we are eager to listen to your needs."

[meemaas]

"Thank you for your acceptance. Since you have agreed to work for me, i have no more business for you. I will have some rooms drawn up for you within the guards keep, for so long as you stay within my employ. You are free to travel the city as you wish, and the guard house will show you to your rooms when you wish. You are dismissed, and i shall call for you tomorrow at the earliest."

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I knew you guys would accept the offer, and congratulations, you have reached your next stepping stone. You are now Level 3. You are free to do as you wish as part of your level up process, and when you are ready to move forward, we will skip you to meeting with the queen again.

[Man on Fire]

Sarph bows down to the queen to show his grattitue the best way he can (that is without opening his mouths), and turns back to go away with his friends. He is wondering through, who was that fourth person she talked about. Could it be they are like heoes from that story, four of the...nah, that's just silly.

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rolling new hp: (1d8)[8]

[stanleyindraven]

Dromet bows and heads out of the room with his companions.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

She back out of the room and bows once before turning (in the back of her head she remembered that was the proper method of leaving high royalty).

Once out of ear shot of Her Majesty she asks her friends, "We're getting paid, right?"

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HP
(1d8)[5]

[Man on Fire]

"Really, who cares? If it will help clear our names, I'm all for it."